Decatising fabric

During weaving and finishing the threads are stretched, and the cloth «remembers» that tension. Moisture and heat relax the fibres, and the cloth shrinks. Decatising lets it shrink in advance.

Mills decatise cloth with steam under pressure, but not every cloth and not always fully. So it is worth doing it again at home, especially with natural fabrics.

Always: wool, cotton, linen and viscose. They shrink the most.

Usually not: polyester and other synthetics hardly shrink.

Carefully: pile fabrics such as corduroy, and faux suede. They are not ironed on the face, so the pile is not crushed.

Lay the cloth wrong side up on a table or ironing board. Cover it with a well-dampened cotton cloth or muslin.

Set a steam iron to wool and move it from spot to spot, lifting rather than sliding and without pressing. Cover the whole piece.

Leave the cloth to dry flat for at least a few hours, ideally a day. Do not cut damp wool: it can still change size.

These are easier to wash the way you will wash the finished garment: same temperature and cycle. Then dry and iron them.

Use a gentle cycle for viscose and do not wring it. Linen and cotton can be tumble dried if that is how you will dry the garment.

Mark a 20 × 20 cm square on the fabric with thread, decatise and measure again. The difference shows how much the fabric shrinks.

If the square got smaller, treat the whole piece again and allow for shrinkage when you count fabric for a dress, trousers or a coat.